Fuel/Spark Plug/Oil combos with cars

[Marco]

Guys,

Many of us here 'tube roll' with our hi-fi equipment to obtain better sonic performance from our gear, so I just wondered if anyone else other than me was sad enough to experiment with the fuel, oil and spark plugs we use in our cars to see what gave best engine performance? :eyebrows:

As it's virtually impossible to tinker with the engines in most modern cars (like people used to do in the old days before bloody computers controlled everything!), part of the fun for me is tweaking the performance of my car (Mercedes C180) by trying different types and combinations of fuel, oil and spark plugs to see which gives the best overall engine performance.

By that I'm talking mainly about acceleration, torque and speed, over more prosaic considerations such as economy and engine life, as this thread is all about getting more fun out of driving your car - for however long that may be.

I've been carrying out some tests for a while now and can say quite categorically that the following combination has resulted in the best engine performance from my car:


Fuel: Tesco 99 Octane Super-Unleaded (followed closely by BP Ultimate 97 Super-Unleaded).


Oil: Valvoline SYN-Power, fully-synthetic (followed closely by Castrol Edge Sport, fully-synthetic).


http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/Accessories/Lubricants-and-Fluids/Engine-Oils/0W40-Engine-Oil/?521770380&0&cc5_291


Spark Plugs: Denso Iridium (followed closely by Champion Iridium/Eon).


http://www.carsparkplugs.com/view-product.aspx?productid=7


At the moment the combination of Tesco 99 Octane fuel/Valvoline SYN-power oil/Denso Iridium plugs makes my car go like a bullet!

On a very quiet long stretch of road near me, flat out, I got 127 M.P.H (most before was 122 M.P.H) from my 1.8L Mercedes C180 (hardy recognised as a speed-mobile), which I think is bloody good going, and much better acceleration than ever before, so things such as what type of fuel, oil and plugs used appears to make a significant difference to the performance of my car.

I will test the 0-60 and top speed with other combinations in due course and report back :)

I would also add that the type of tyres used also has a significant impact on acceleration and top speed, due to the level of grip, and in that respect my favourite type so far is Continental.

Anyway, I just thought it was an unusual idea for a thread and hoped it might be of interest to some of you!

Marco.

[Rare Bird]

You need one of these playing with Fuel & such wont be an issue no more

http://www.sportscaradvisors.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/classic-mercedes-300sl.jpg

;)

[Marco]

Quality! By a rather strange coincidence, I have a picture (of I think the same car) from a different angle:

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/4148/1960merc300sl.png (http://img443.imageshack.us/i/1960merc300sl.png/)

Gob-smackingly gorgeous! :eek:

...and you could work on the f*ckers yourself - unlike the pish made today!! ;)

Marco.

[Rare Bird]

...and you could work on the f*ckers yourself - unlike the pish made today!! ;)

Marco.

Very correctamundo.

Anyway sorry for spoiling your topic. :doh:

Back on track drivers.

[Ali Tait]

Yes,you're not the only saddo Marco,I've done similar.Agree about the Tesco 99 RON,it makes a noticeable difference to my 320i,though not night and day.One thing I found helped was to buy a Pipercross lifetime air filter.These allow about 30-40% more air intake into the engine.Worth doing for about 35 quid,a lot for a filter,but you just take it out and clean it and put it back,so will save you money in the long run.Next step is maybe an induction kit,a good one should give me another 15 horsepower or so.

Nice car BTW Andre.

[john blackburn]

Chuck one of these at it and you can fiddle to your hearts content.

http://www.extraefi.co.uk/

Belting system and fully nerd developed rather than designed by accountants.

John

[Dave Hewitt]

Hi Marco
The best thing to do is get it chipped,it will be a wolf in sheeps attire then,or better still get a motorbike.
Dave.

[goraman]

Sadly enough yes,
The best full synthetic motor oil made today is Mobil 1,they supply to other oil companys like Valvaline but there best is Mobil 1 Tested by Nascar,Ferrari ect...
Spark plugs are often gimmickey the better ones are NGK in my opinion,Due to the lowest failure rate.Illeigal here I use Accel solid copper wires made for race cars and not street leagel (uber low impeadance).
I had a Jacobs pro street ignition systum but the high output coil box called for doubbleing the spark plug gap and would shoot a white blue spark all the way across the hood if fired out of the head.(They are leathel and most macanics won't touch them).
It welded the copper ring from the head gasket to the block and it ate a hole big enough I was loseing compresion so my next set had to be Detroit head gaskets made for running alcohol race motors!

I no longer mess with really hot mods because it can cause other parts to fail and I no longer have time for tearing the car apart and running half my motor to the machine shop.